Recipes

[IamMrsG]

Easter dinner takes as nearly as much out of me as Thanksgiving dinner. I will start cooking and baking tomorrow, so, when I planned our menu for the rest of the week, I included easy & quick nightly meals.  Initially, this one does not appear to be quick; however, it produces enough for a leftover meal.  Later in the week all I'll have to do is 'heat 'n eat.'  I will be glad to have it available.

To be honest, DH liked the casserole a lot more than I.  Maybe my taste buds are 'off,' 'cause, for all the time involved, I thought it a little bland. He, though, said he could taste every element.   Maybe "all the time involved" is the key.  Do you find time or labor intensive dishes that you prepare less pleasurable on your palate?  

Regardless, here is the recipe.   As is my habit, I've added my notes at the bottom.

Aztec Chicken Casserole
The Chew | March 13, 2013

For the Sauce:
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup chopped White Onion
2 Garlic cloves,  minced 
2 pounds Ripe Tomatoes, pureed (or one 28-ounce can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 Bay Leaf
1 teaspoon Kosher or Coarse Sea Salt

For the Casserole:
3 cups fresh or thawed frozen Corn
8 Corn Tortillas
3 cups shredded Cooked Chicken
4 Poblano Chiles (charred; sweated; peeled; stemmed; seeded; and diced)
1 cup Mexican Crema (or Crème Fraîche or Heavy Cream)
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella (or Monterey Jack or mild White Cheddar Cheese)
Vegetable Oil

For the Sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, oregano, bay leaf, and salt and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and deepens to a darker red. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.

Preheat the oven to 375º.

For the Casserole: If using frozen corn, cook it in simmering water for 3 minutes to heat; drain completely and set aside.

Heat 1/4 inch oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. The oil is ready if when you dip the edge of a tortilla into it, it bubbles happily around the edges without going wild. Using tongs, dip the tortillas one at a time in the oil for 10 to 15 seconds per side. The tortilla will first appear to soften and then it will begin to crisp. Drain the cooked tortillas on a paper-towel-lined plate. Alternatively, you can lightly toast the tortillas on a hot comal or skillet set over medium heat.

Spread one third of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Layer 2 cups of the chicken, 2 cups of the corn, half of the poblano chiles, 1/3 cup of the cream, and one third of the cheese on top.

Top with a layer of 4 tortillas. Repeat with another one third of the tomato sauce, the remaining chicken, corn, and poblanos, 1/3 cup of the cream, and another one third of the cheese. Top with the remaining 4 tortillas and the remaining sauce, cream, and cheese. Cover the dish with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot. 

Mrs. G's notes:  I had in the refrigerator, so shredded and blended fresh mozzarella, Pepper Jack and White Cheddar cheeses for the 1 1/2 cups.  I used Crème Fraîche for the cream.

For wine, we chose a Zinfandel.  It complemented the casserole well.

Edited for typo.

[Azcowgirl]

This recipe is one of our favorites.....however instead of the tomato paste or tomatoes, we use the green enchilada sauce (La Victoria is best). We also throw black olive slices on top. (:

[Kachina624]

Preparing and assembling that casserole would be enough to wear a person out, although I'm sure it's delicious. 

[software]

I'm doing a simple Hawaiian chicken in the crock pot.

I'll start it that morning and it will be ready after church.

I'll do the rice-in-the-bag.  Maybe a salad too.  

Your recipe looks delicious.   I hear ya about Thanksgiving dinner.   

@IamMrsG

[Noel7]

@IamMrsG

It sounds delicious and flavorful to me.  Yes, I often find something I've worked on slightly bland.  Maybe it's inhaling the spices or herbs that dulls the palette, I don't know.

I love making casseroles because we can get two or three meals each out of them.  I go retro sometimes and make tuna noodle casserole, which DH and I both love.

Along the same lines, I like the new wave of sheet pan dinners, like roasting chicken pieces with different veg. You get a couple of meals out of those, too  😋

[IamMrsG]

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Noel7 wrote, in part: ". . . 

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Along the same lines, I like the new wave of sheet pan dinners, like roasting chicken pieces with different veg. You get a couple of meals out of those, too  😋"

@Noel7   In that case, you might want to check out this one for Apple Kielbasa Bake.  We had it for dinner tonight, and it never fails to please.